Mayor William Bell says Birmingham has paid all it owes to Railroad Park Foundation

View full sizeBirmingham Mayor William Bell says promise of more money to the Railroad Park Foundation was made by an earlier mayor who never committed the pledge to writing. (The Birmingham News, Hal Yeager)

However, the city will work with the foundation to determine "what ways we can assist them in meeting their fi­nancial obligations," Bell said.

Foundation officials say a mix-up in the agreement regarding the city's funding commitment has left $3.2 mil­lion unpaid.

Bell said the city put $4.4 million into the park's $22 million construc­tion budget. The city also spent about $3.2 million acquiring and demolish­ing two buildings on the park's foot­print, which city officials have said met the city's obligation to the park.

Railroad Park officials told Bell "a previous mayor had made a verbal commitment" of more cash, Bell said. "We have not been able to find any­where where that verbal commitment was put in writing or the council acted on it or any money was put in place for it," he said.

Foundation president William French said he shares the mayor's will­ingness to work together to find a solu­tion to the group's funding problem. "I'm confident something can be worked out," he said.